Chaos! Generation Next Book 3: Double Troubles
by bluerain1984
Summary: Rated for content. As our new heroes start their teen years, things go topsy turvey! Who's this woman trying to kill Sesshomaru? What's Yami doing with Bast? Why is Souta fighting Kagome? And is Li Zhou truely dead? wait and see!
1. Unlucky Thirteen

Disclaimer: We own nothing. 

**Chaos! Generation Next Book 3: Double Troubles**

**Prologue:**

For two years after the creation of the new Millennium Items, the five children trained in both their powers and, part time, their dueling skills. Ra's search for the Shikon Jewel turned up nothing, even with Loki's help. The enslaved Souta continued to make his daily reports back to Ra and inform him of the new danger that his comrades were presenting. However Ra did not know the exact knowledge of the danger, for Souta was able to keep some secrets to himself. Still, Ra let him come and go as he pleased.

The whereabouts of Li Zhou remained a mystery, for he was silently waiting for his revenge on Bakura. And Yami's hair, which had suffered major damage in his duel with Ra had now grown back and was spikier than ever.

And through all this, the children were growing into early teenagedom. Now, we pick up their tale…

**Chapter One: Unlucky Thirteen**

Mokuba was moping around the mansion. Yesterday he started his seventh grade year in junior high, and he had become such a good duelist at the academy that he had been moved up to the high school level duelist grade. And worse of all, tomorrow was his 13th birthday.

"Mokuba, you should be proud of yourself," his older brother said behind him. "You're leaving behind the fo-pa of childhood. Soon you'll be a man."

"Whatever," Mokuba said. "It sucks being older than your other friends. I mean, I won't even be in the same building as Souta next year. And those high schoolers at the academy, they're snobs!"

"That's the way of the world. Have you trained with your Shield?" Seto asked.

"Yes," Mokuba sighed. Then, he looked at the gates, and perked up.

"I know that look," Kaiba said, "Don't even think about it!"

"It's Shippo!" Mokuba cheered. He jumped down from the window seat and rushed outside. It'd been a whole summer since he'd seen his best friend. He couldn't wait to have more crazy adventures with the kitsune. As he ran towards the front gate to let Shippo in, he noticed something different about him.

"Uh… Shippo?" Mokuba asked. Shippo was taller now! And… kinda muscular.

"Mokuba!" his deeper voice cheered as he initiated their secret handshake. On the final knuckle buster, Shippo's punch was a little too hard.

"Ow!" Mokuba yelped, shaking his hand.

"Oops, sorry. I've been training with Inu-yasha all summer. So, what's up with you? Have you trained a lot?"

"I thought I had," Mokuab looked at his puny muscles, compared to Shippo's.

"And I got a look at Souta's calendar when I stopped by his place on my way here. You're birthday is tomorrow! I can't believe I nearly forgot."

"Don't make a big deal out of it," Mokuba mumbled.

"But you're gonna be 13!" Shippo said. "Man, I wish I was 13. I'm only 12."

"Shippo," Mokuba said, "Shut up."

"Huh?"

_**Transition**_

"Where is he?" Rebecca complained. She tapped her foot on the ground as she waited for Mokuba to show up. The mall was opening up a new card shop, and she didn't want to miss it. Nothing but the latest cards form Industrial Illusions. These new ones were said to created by Pegasus's adopted son, who had created a stir in the art world.

"If I miss this promo sale, Moki's gonna get it."

"Rebecca!" called a voice. Rebecca looked and saw a girl coming towards her. "Rebecca," said the girl, grabbing her and hugging her, "It's good to see you my friend!"

"Uh, who are you?" Rebecca asked.

"Do you not remember me? Was the end of school so long ago?" she asked. Then, she took the flute out of her back pack.

Rebecca gasped. "Rin! Wow, you… changed."

"Really? I was certain the food in America was doing something strange," Rin said, "My feet would not fit in my shoes, and my shirts were growing smaller."

"Uh, I don't think it was the food," Rebecca said. She took Rin's arm and showed her to a window. Rin had the body build of a high school freshmen. Rin looked at her reflection in confusion.

"I look like miss Mai," she said turning around.

"Don't rub it in," Rebecca said, sneering. "Heh, what are you wearing under there?"

"Huh? Nothing. Why?" Rin asked.

"Okay, we're taking a trip to Vickie's." Rebecca said, leading her away form the store.

"But what about the new cards? I wanted some new Light Monsters." Rin said.

"Some, things are more important," Rebecca said. "Like preventing an eye injury."

_**Transition**_

"I'm leaving now," Souta called to his folks as he headed out the door.

"Souta, don't forget your chain." Kagome said. "Here, I put this really cool charm on the end of it so you can wear it around your neck."

"Did you get this from grandpa?" Souta asked his sister.

"Uh, no," she said, blushing.

"Who's been stealing my lucky pendants!" Gramps bellowed.

"Bye!" Kagome squeaked, running upstairs, "Babies are crying."

"They are not, you liar!" Souta yelled. Then he made a run for it, too. As he reached the bottom of the steps, he shook his shaggy hair out of his eyes, and took his glasses off. "No walking into that mall so I can get called Four Eyes." He turned and walking into a pole. "OOF! Blast it! Why didn't I eat my carrots when I was little!"

"There you are," said a voice.

"Huh?" Souta put his glasses and looked up, "Not now Bast."

"Ra wants to see you now," said the Cat goddess, "He's really ticked because you haven't been able to find him that Jewel."

"I've been all over the Feudal Era," Souta snapped at her. "They don't have it. Maybe they made a wish on it and it dissolved, maybe they burned it again. All I know is, Inu-yasha's still a half demon, and the Jewel's gone."

"That won't be good enough," Bast told him, as she grabbed his arm, and they turned into orbs that floated up to the sky.

In seconds they were in Ra's air fortress, circling above Earth. As Bast dragged the boy onto the bridge, and said, "I found him."

"It'sssssssss about time," Apothus remarked as he slithered about.

"Indeed," Ra agreed. "Now Set, my human associate and I have been concerned. I consider myself a patient being… But it has been two years and still you have not found the Shikon no Tama! What did that human do with it! You must know by now!"

"I don't know anything," Souta insisted.

"If you are lying to me, Loki, then I will make your life a living nightmare," Ra said, approaching him. He reached out, and grabbed Souta's collar, but then sparks went flying around his hand, and Ra suddenly felt a great sense of pain in his body. He snatched his hand back, and saw it burnt, the imprint of a rising sun in smoldering hand.

"Uh oh."

"What… have you done?" Ra hissed.

"It's this charm around my neck," Souta said, taking the chain out from under his shirt collar. "It must be working with the Chain… You can't hurt anymore," Souta realized.

"Oh, can't I?" Ra sneered, "CAN"T I!" he raised his arms, and they went ablaze. Then he threw the burning orbs at Souta. The boy covered his face, but nothing happened. The flames bounced off of him, and were sent off in Bast and Apothus's directions. The Cat goddess shrieked and ducked, while the Serpent used a magic barrier to absorb the attack.

Souta started laughing. "You don't have any power on me anymore. You can't touch me!"

"No, but can still see through your mind," Ra said. "And I can still hurt the ones you love."

"Huh?"

"If you dare to challenge me again, Loki, then I will burn that planet to cinders. Everyone man, woman, and child, including your niece and nephew, will become nothing but the remains of an ancient burial ground. Just like Egypt."

Souta hung his head. Beaten again.

"And form now on," Ra said, "I'm making sure such trinkets are never to you again. Bast, Apothus, you two will go to Earth and stay there, indefinitely to watch our rogue."

"WHAT?" Bast exclaimed.

"Masssssster, thisssssss isssssss cruel!" Apothus objected. "You would abandon ussssssss in a primitive civilization!"

"YAY!" Bast cheered. "Shopping shopping shopping! Cute clothes, yummy food! It'll be just like old times!"

"That'sssssss what I'm afraid of." Apothus said.

"And to make sure there are no mishaps this time," Ra said. He grabbed Bast's ears, and she yowled.

"Hey!" she yelled, "Why did you make me human!"

Apothus laughed and hissed in delight until Ra grabbed his tail and instantly it disappeared. "Mather , why did you make ME human!"

"These new disguises will aid you in your task," Ra said. "You will still have your powers, of course, and can change back whenever you wish. But I strongly suggest you keep your disguises and wath this boy closely."

"Aw man," Souta said, ticking his hands in his pockets.

"I am wise to your tricks now, Loki," Ra said, looming over him. "Remember, they will be following you, and I am always watching." He snapped, and Souta found himself standing on front of the mall. He gulped, and turned to leave, but then he saw Mokuba and Shippo coming. They'd seen him.

"Perfect." Souta sighed unhappily.

_**Transition**_

Rebecca and Rin sat on the edge of the fountain, their hands full of shopping bags. Rebecca glared at Rin as she said, "You didn't have to buy the whole store."

"I did not buy the store. Simply everything I liked there in."

"But this?" Rebecca asked her, taking out a grotesquely fluffy, pink, wind up rabbit. She squeezed it, and it said, 'I wub you!'

"Mrs. Hippy Hop is cute!" Rin said, taking the toy and cuddling it.

"What are you, five?" Rebecca asked.

Rin counted on her fingers, then said, "No, I am 13."

"Then why do you need such a disgustingly cute stuffed animal!"

"It reminds me of Shippo," Rin, "Soft, cute, and cuddly."

"Uh…. Not any more," Rebecca said as she saw the three boys approaching. Shippo stood out beside the two normal boys. Granted, Mokuba was the shortest, but at least his arms were slimmer than his legs.

"Shippo!" Rin called out. She jumped up and ran to him, hugging him tight.

"Hey Rin, what's up?" Shippo asked, unfazed. Souta and Mokuba stared at her.

"That's Rin?" Mokuba stuttered.

"Ahem," Rebecca coughed, then grabbed his ear.

"GAH!" Mokuba cried. She let go, and he looked up and down. "You're… good looking too."

"Hmph," she grunted, turning away from him.

"Oh great, what did I do now?" Mokuba asked her.

"Mokuba," Rin said, calling attention. "You have not changed at all."

"Don't remind me," Mokuba said. "Now I know how Yugi feels."

"But Yugi has pointier hair," Rin observed, "And his posture is much better, and-"

"Rin," Mokuba said, "Shut up."


	2. Sesshomaru's New Gig

**Chapter Two: Sesshomaru's New Gig**

"Now, as we see from the projections I've made, the fiscal earnings of this company should go up exponentially over the next year thanks to the new marketing techniques we've employed," Sesshomaru explained to the board members at Kaiba Corp. The big wigs nodded to one another, loving the sound of it.

"Mr. Sesshomaru, you've done an excellent job of consulting this company," said the company VP, Roland. "We had hoped that you would stay on with us now that the job is done. Your skill and abilities could be employed in some of our lower branches. We'd like for you to over see them."

"Does this meet with President Mokuba's current wishes?" Sesshomaru asked.

"I'm sure that once we've discussed this with him young Mr. Kaiba will be more than happy to keep you on."

"Thank you, but I must decline." Sesshomaru said.

"What? Why? You were terrific in our American branch this past summer. They expressed great interest in your ideas." Roland stammered as Sesshomaru quietly took his coat from the hanger next to the door.

"I have other obligations that must tended to," Sesshomaru said, "And after having seen more of the world, I am less inclined to travel outside the country. And I could never tear my young charge away from her friends here permanently. Good day, gentlemen," with that, he took his leave.

Outside, he was just about to climb into his new town car, when all of a sudden he sensed that he was being followed. He turned, and the disturbed dust on the ground. He sniffed the air, and took off after the spy. Soon he was on the heels of a figure dressed all in black, their head covered by a black hood. The walking shadow leaped up and climbed into the second level of a parking garage. Sesshomaru instantly followed suit and kept his prey in sight. Then, the dark figure turned, and started at Sesshomaru with dark blue eyes. Then, reached into a pocket, and in a blink came flying at Sesshomaru, a sword in hand, ready to thrust the blade into his heart. Seshomaru did a flip over his assailant, and ripped off the assassin's hood.

"D- you!" shouted the red haired woman as her mask was ripped off.

"A woman? Interesting." Sesshomaru said. "Why are following me?"

"Silence demon!" she spat, "Defend yourself or die!" she charged again, and Sesshomaru, with grace and silence, reached into his coat and pulled out the Tokijin. Before she was even in striking distance, Sesshomaru used his powerful sword to strike the sword from her hand, jumped, sliced through the sword in mid air, and landed behind the woman. When she turned to him again, they just stared at one another for several seconds until they heard a pair of hands clapping in a shadowed part of the garage.

"Well done," said a man's voice. "Well done indeed! Thank you, Felicia, you did very well in testing him for me." a tall man dressed in red velvet strode out of his hiding place.

"Who are you, and why did you send this common woman to assault me? I have not commited any grievance with anyone here," Sesshomare said.

"I'm from the fourth most powerful family on earth, thank you, demon!" shouted Felicia. "I;m far from common!"

"Settle down, my dear, he's simply stating the obvious. Compared to him, you are common. Albeit, you are the finest female assassin to be found."

"You have yet to answer my question," Sesshomaru said, sheathing Tokijin. "Who are you?"

"Forgive me," said the man, he did a sweeping bow and said, "You may have never heard of me, but I've heard plenty of you. Both your identities, in fact. I am Maximillion J. Pegasus. And I know your younger brother."

"Of course," Sesshomaru said, "Imbeciles seem to flock to my brother's side."

"Now hold on," Pegasus said, "I never said about being in league with Inu-yasha. I'm a business man after all, and owner of the second largest company in the world: Industrial Illusions."

"You still have a second question you have not answered," Sesshomaru said.

"Oh, forgive me. I've arranged this little interview to see of you are as good as they say you are," Pegasus said. "You see I want to hire you as a body guard."

"I am no minion," Sesshomaru said.

"Of course not," Pegasus said, "I need a business consultant. Someone who can assist me in feeling out the competition. As well as someone who can make sure I'm not stabbed in the back."

"I am inclined to do that myself… However it would not be an honorable gesture." Sesshomaru said. "Thank you, but I am currently protecting someone else. Someone with purer blood and higher standings than you, or any human, for that matter." Sesshomaru turned then to leave.

"Oh yes, the little Goddess- What do you call her, again? Rin?" Pegasus asked.

Seshsomaru stopped, then seemed to vanish to the humans' eyes, before he reappeared, grabbed Pegasus's collar, and held him up off the ground. Sesshomaru's eyes glowed bright red, as he extended his poison tipped claws. Felicia made to draw one of her hidden daggers, Pegasus held up a hand.

"Wait," he said, "If he wanted me dead, I'd have been in a pool of blood long ago. And so would you." She grunted and put up her dagger, but kept her eye on the dog demon.

"Tell me why I should make this true?" Sesshomaru growled.

"Oh, I'm so frightened," Pegasus said lightly, "Has that delightful child ever seen you this angry? I believe I heard once that you're true form is very terrifying. I've seen Inu-yasha's, and honestly I nearly died of fright!"

Sesshomaru's red eyes lightened, but he still held tight to Pegasus's collar. "What do you mean 'Inu-yasha's true form'?"

"Oh come now," Pegasus said, "You didn't know? He's huge! And his teeth could eat the city in one bite. If a half demon is that scary, what about a full one like you? And now you're the not answering questions. Has that child ever seen you so angry that you could kill? Has she ever seen the big bad nasty hound from Hell that was described to me? Or are you afraid to show her that?"

"I fear nothing!" hissed Sesshomaru.

"You fear scaring a the person you love," Pegasus said. "The one being on this entire earth who cares anything about you. You know that if she ever saw the beast you really are, instead of your charming disguise, then she would be too afraid of you to come near you. This is the same fear that makes you pray that she will never become the goddess, isn't it? You can't stand to be alone."

"WHO ARE YOU TO JUDGE ME?" Sesshomaru snarled, bearing his fangs, his eyes glowing brighter than ever.

"That's enough!" shouted Felicia. She took out a dagger, and a camera. She shot the picture, and then said, "If you do anything else, I'll make sure this photo is leaked to the press. Scientists and paranormalists world wide would give millions for a real demon to study!"

"And I'm sure you'll enjoy that money when you're dead, seconds after he's eaten kidneys," Pegasus said to her. "But this is what I wanted to see. Now I know you're the man for the job."

Sesshomaru stopped his growling, then set Pegasus down. He closed his eyes, and when he opened them again they were the ordinary golden color he usually had. "I will…consider your offer."

"Good. Now, before either of us makes a definite decision, Felicia, please go with Lord Sesshomaru. If it pleases you both, I'd like for my lovely informant to see your home life."

"What?" both asked.

"Yes, you see, Felicia doesn't believe that a cold, heartless demon can love a human child. So I'd like her to see how you are with your precious little orphan first hand. When she gives me her final opinion, I'll have a final decision. And I hope you will too." Then, Pegasus turned to a red car (which matched his clothes) got in, and sped out.

"Wait!" called Felicia. She tried to run after the car, but stopped and yelled, "Pegasus! This wasn't part of our deal!"

_**Transition**_

Yugi and Yami sat in their old room and picked through their many cards. Where once they had been quite content to share one deck, after all they had until recently shared one body, they now found that they were leading predominantly separate lives. Yami stayed home, and worked in the shop most of the time, while Yugi went out with his friends, and they soon began to realize that they were now two totally different people.

"You take the Dark Magician and the DMGirl Yami, they're your favorites."

"They're yours two though Yugi, don't you want them in your deck?"

"I think we've pretty much established ourselves as two different people, Yami, so it won't hurt for us to have two completely different decks." Yugi told his friend.

"As you wish then." Yami replied and put the two cards in his deck. Very little had changed in the makeup of his deck except that now he had fewer rare cards in his side deck. Those he had given to Yugi to make up the basic structure of his new deck. So far Yugi had come up with very little though in the way of a good strategy. As it was, he doubted that his puny little deck of nothing but spare cards could put up much of a fight against Ra, or anyone else for that matter. Right now he could sure use a pep talk from Tea or someone.

_**Transition**_

Tea was at the moment feeling just as helpless as Yugi and Yami were. Only her problem couldn't be solved by a mere card game. Her feelings were being messed with right now by Ra's trickery. Now she had Yugi and Yami there with her in two separate bodies where before she had them both rolled up in one. Before now she hadn't ever thought of choosing between them but the more she hung out with one the more she thought about the other. She found herself thinking of the two of them all the time. Even now as she showered in her apartment, the soap running down her back, she thought of the two of them and what it would be like to be with either one of them. She imagined the perfect evening. Sitting down to dinner in a nice restaurant, Yugi sitting one side, Yami on the other.

"Let me pour us a drink." Yami would say, then pop a cork on a bottle.

"We'll both be having the house special, and the lady will have a salad followed by a petite pepper steak with onion rings." Yugi would order for them. Afterwards they might go for a romantic stroll in the park, just the three of them, and sit down on a bench to look up at the stars. Then it would be time to go home and that's where things got a little jumbled up.

"Want to come in." Tea would say and reach her hand out to them but then Yugi and Yami started pushing each other over who would take her hand.

"She wants me!" Yugi insisted.

"NO me." Yami stated. "I'm the one who saved her life, remember?"

"I knew her first." Yugi argued.

"I've been through the worst of times by her side though." Yami would tell him.

"I love her!" Yugi would declare.

"Not as much as I love her!" Yami would shout and then Tea's fantasy bubble would burst.

"What am I going to do about those two?" She asked herself as she put a towel on and then stepped out of the shower. She put her hair up in a smaller towel then went to go lay down on her bed. She looked around the room. Most of her things were still in boxes, and it was even worse everywhere else in the apartment. Living along was expensive enough on just her savings, what with bills to pay, and everything. There were times that she wished that she had not gone to New York after school let out for the last time. She wondered what it would have been like if she had gone with Yugi to Egypt. They'd probably be married now with kids like Kaiba, and Serenity, or like Kagome and Inu-yasha. Then she wouldn't have to make such a terrible choose between the Yugi she had known since she was little and the one called Yami who she'd had a crush on since that fateful day at Burger World.

Tea thought it over and over and over again in her mind and in her heart. Which one did she truly love? The kind, caring, considerate Yugi, or dashing, charismatic Yami? Oh she wished with all her heart that there was a way to put them both back together so that she could go back to loving them both. Wait, did either of them even know that she was in love with them?

"Oh my gosh!" Tea cried out. "I never have really told either of them how I feel!"

_**Transition**_

Ra laughed wickedly as he sat on his thrown aboard his air ship. His plan was working perfectly. Now that Yugi and Yami were separated and vulnerable without the power of the Millennium Items, there was nothing that could stop him from picking their little band of pathetic friends apart.

"Bast, come to me." He said.

"Yes master?" She replied and sontered over to where Ra sat.

"I have another job for you my dear, I need for you go seduce the Pharaoh for me.

"Seduce him?" She asked.

"Yes, I must begin to break his friends away from him one at a time, and I want to start with the one called Tea. She is his lady love and a powerful friend. Her opinion would mean everything to him."

"Tea, you mean that sweet girl I met that day?" Bast asked. "I can't do that to her, she's my friend too."

"I command you, you foolish creature, or would you rather go back to being a stone statue?" Ra shouted at her. Bast cringed at the thought of returning to that state of existence and hung her head.

"Yes, sir." She finally sniffled. "I will seduce the Pharaoh, but just one question, do I have to do anything else?"

"Do as you please with him." Ra said. Bast transformed into her human form that Ra had recently given her then left the ship. "Excellent. Now come to me Apothus." He commanded. The Snake god appeared and bowed. "Go now to the Priestess Kagome's home and work your evil on her little family."

"No!" Souta cried coming in.

"You again Loki, you're becoming a bit bothersome."

"I won't let you hurt my family members anymore." Souta said.

"You don't have a choice in the matter. I need the Priestess to come to me and the only way to do that is to take her children."

"No!" Souta shouted again. "You don't need to hurt them. Not if you want the jewel. I know… I know another reason why she would come. She would come for me and she would bring the jewel with her, if she had it, but only if you use me as bate."

"Interesting concept. But would you be willing to fight your own sister when she comes with the jewel?

"To save her children, I would do anything." Souta said.

"So be it then Loki. Apothus, go to the Sunset Shrine and deliver a message to the Higurashis. Tell young Kagome that if she ever wants to see her brother again then she'll come to my air fortress with her deck and with the Jewel of Four Souls or else little Souta will never leave this place alive."


	3. Tea's Cnfession and Yami's Rejection

**Chapter Three: Tea's confession, Yami's rejection.**

"Okay, here he comes. I have to tell him today." Tea said as she waited by the street corner for Yami. She'd called him up that morning after hours of agonizing thought. Finally though, she had decided. Yugi had been her best friend since elementary school. She didn't want to ruin that pure love and respect that only friends feel for each other. Yami was the one who she was attracted to and he was the one she had lusted after since the first time he'd shown himself as Yugi's alter ego. Now she would tell him all that she had been feeling for him, and then, she thought, then they would finally be able to be together.

_**Transition**_

Yami came around the corner and saw Tea standing there blushing, obviously in deep thought. He waited for a moment, cowardly, for Tea to notice him. He was a little uncomfortable being out in public still but she had said that she wanted to meet him today and so he came. For what reason he had only imagined and that was what he dreaded most of all.

"Ahem." He coughed after a moment. Tea came back down to earth and saw Yami standing there next to her then she blushed brighter and remembered herself.

"Sorry." She said, "I was just thinking."

"I understand, there's a lot to think about these days." Yami replied. "I've been thinking too and I think that we both should be honest with one another." He had so been dreading this conversation but he had known it was coming for a long time.

"Just what I was thinking about." Tea said. "I have something to tell you, Yami."

"I have something that I need to tell you too." He told her sheepishly. "Tea, I care for you a great deal."

"You do?" She asked, her heart rising. Maybe she would have to be the first one to say "I love you" after all.

"Yes, you've been there for me through a great deal, and there is no one I have more respect for than you, my dearest friend. But…" And this is where Tea's heart began to sink along with Yami's.

"But…?" She asked him.

"But I can't be with you in the way you've obviously come here to tell me that you want to." He finally got around to saying. Tea's eyes widened and her heart shattered.

"What?" She asked him, knowing full well what he meant.

"I know that you came here to tell me that you love me." Yami said. "I figured it out by the way you seemed to act during our phone conversation. Believe me if I felt the same way then things would be different. However…"

"You mean that you don't love me the way that I love you." Tea hung her head and started to cry.

"Tea, please forgive me, I have to be true to my feelings, and I think that it's better this way." Yami told her. "I don't want to loose you as a friend, but I can not be your lover." Tea's tears fell like rain over her red cheeks. "Tea, are you alright, should I call you a cab?" Yami asked.

"No, it's fine." She said after a moment. "I can get home on my own."

"Please Tea, I only…"

"It's okay Yami, you were true to you heart, and that's what matters. I only wish that I had your courage." She said and then ran off down the street.

"Wait Tea!" Yami cried and dashed off after her but as he rounded the corner he bumped into a into an unexpected predicament. Yami had run head long into Bast in her human disguise. Not that it matters but Yami has never actually met Bast to begin with. He'd only heard tale of her and in her human form, she did not look a bit at all like she had been described.

"Hey watch where your going." Bast said as she recovered from the full on body slam.

"Pardon me miss," Yami began to say then he remembered Tea and looked for her, but she was gone. "Blast it, why did I have to be so blunt with her?"

"Blunt with who?" Bast asked.

"My friend." He said. "She came here to tell me that she loved me but I just don't feel the same way." Bast looked shocked and dismayed at him.

"You told her that you don't feel the same way?" She asked Yami. "That's terrible. Pal, you need to learn some tact."

"Excuse me?" Yami asked, wondering who this person was to be butting into his and Tea's personal business.

"When a girl says that she loves someone, the last thing that she needs to hear from that someone is that they don't feel the same way." Bast stated. "You could have let her down a little easier is all I'm saying."

"You're probably right." Yami sighed. "It's just that I do care for her as a friend and that's something that I'm not willing to risk loosing to my inner desires. Not that I have any for Tea, it's just that I do get so lonely sometimes, but there's no one out there for me."

"How sad." Bast thought out loud. "What are you talking about, there's someone out there for everyone, and you just need to keep looking pal, after all, as Aphrodite once said, the road to love is a long one but when you have the right partner, the miles just seem to fly by."

"Huh?" Yami asked.

"You need to keep looking for your partner, your soul mate, your one and only! Come on!" Bast said taking Yami's hand. "We're going to help find that one person out there for you."

"Wait, I don't even know who you are." Yami said as Bast drug him along.

"I'm B." She told him.

"Bea?" Yami asked.

"No just B."

"That's an interesting name. I'm Yami." He told her. Bast smiled and put her hand on her hip.

"That's a nice name, it sounds so Kingly. You won't have happened to been a King in a past life?" She asked Yami.

"It's odd that you should mention that." He said as they walked arm in arm down the street. By now, for some reason, Yami had forgotten all about Tea, and the more that he talked with Bast, the more he fell under her enchantment.

_**Transition**_

Tea ran down the street as hard and as fast as she could, running to where, she still didn't know. Her heart was still breaking over what Yami had told her and like a frightened little girl, unsure of what to do, she ran until eventually she found herself back at the Little Turtle Game Shop. What was she doing here, she thought, of all places? Then she looked inside and saw Yugi standing in the door flipping he closed sign. That's right, they close early today, she remembered. Clouds were gathering in the sky now as she stood on the outside looking in, and then finally, Yugi noticed her standing there.

"Tea, what are you doing here, Yami said he was meeting you." He asked letting her in.

"Oh Yugi!' She cried and then wrapped her arms close around him. She was crying and Yugi didn't know why.

"Tea, what's wrong, what happened? Did Yami do something, say something, or…Oh." He realized. "Tea it's okay, come up stairs with me, I'll put on some tea and we'll talk." He said leading her upstairs to his room. Yugi didn't know what exactly had gone on between Tea and Yami but he had a pretty good idea and right now he felt so mad at his counterpart that he could have strangled him. Tea was their best friend. They had known her longer than anyone and cared for her more than anyone. How Yami could have done, or said anything to hurt Tea, Yugi didn't know for sure.

"Here." He said handing Tea a cup of hot tea with lemon and honey, just the way she liked it. "Now tell me what happened."

"Yugi…"Tea said. "Remember when we first met?"

"Yeah, I do." He replied, wondering what that had to do with anything.

"You were always such a good friend to me, I was afraid to loose that, and I think I know now what Yami meant when he said he couldn't be with me." She cried into her tea.

"Oh Tea." Yugi sat down beside her on his bed and put his hand on her shoulder. Then Tea did something totally unexpected. She turned to Yugi and kissed him on the lips. Yugi didn't know what to make of it, but he knew that he didn't want to take advantage of Tea while she was like this so he pulled away. "Tea…I…"

"Please Yugi, don't turn me down." She pleaded with him. "Not now, not after he did, I just need someone Yugi. I need someone to hold me and love me." Yugi blushed and wondered just what to do then Tea kissed him again and he knew what she meant. The way her body turned to put her arms around him, the way that she seemed to be letting go of everything, and the way that he felt now too. He'd been so afraid before but now that Yugi had Tea here, like this, the way he'd always wanted her… He knew what was right and what was in their hearts.

"Make love to me, Yugi." Tea said as they began undressing each other.

"Tea, I love you." Yugi finally admitted after such a long time of wanting her. Such a long, long time, and as they lay under the sheets in each other's arms, the pains of that want seemed fall away. Maybe it was because she was with Yugi, or maybe it was because she was with a friend, that Tea suddenly realized that this was right. The way they fit together was right, the way they moved was right, and the way that they held each other was right. This was right, and they both knew it.

_**Transition**_

Rin came home from shopping at the mall with her friends and flopped down on the couch like a normal teenage girl. It felt so good to have a normal day, as normal as things were in the modern age, and it was good to see her friends again. After being gone for so long in America, learning to play her flute while Lord Sesshomaru conducted business for Kaiba Corp, she had missed them all. Especially Shippo. He was her first crush and now being with them all again brought back memories of the days when they were still pre-teens and they had just met. Those were some strange but happy times. Now they were all teenagers and growing up had brought many changes.

At that moment, the front door opened, and In walked Sesshoamru, followed by a wary looking young woman with long red hair, and dressed in Ninja clothing.

"Lord Sesshomaru! You're home!" Rin cheered, jumping up and hugging her guardian.

"Rin, we have a guest," he said somberly.

"I thought you were taking care of a kid," the woman said, looking at Rin. "How old is she?"

Rin giggled, "That's the second time today. I am thirteen winters old."

"Pegasus wasn't kidding when he said you weren't from around here, was he?" the woman asked Sesshomaru.

"Quite the contrary, we are, only 500 years in what you call the past," Sesshomaru answered. "Rin, this is Felicia… Keep her amused while I prepare dinner."

"Hey, wait! I'm not a babysitter!" Felicia objected.

"I wasn't talking to you," Sesshomaru remarked.

"Come with me," Rin said, tugging on her arm, "Would you like to look at my cards?"

"No thanks, kid, I've seen enough of those Duel Monsters cards to last a lifetime."

"Aww, please?" Rin asked her sweetly.

Felicia sighed, and said, "Fine, but I'm not playing. Pegasus made me play that game constantly, and I got sick of it."

"You're just afraid I will defeat you," Rin giggled, "But that is perfectly fine."

"What'd you say, kid?" Felicia demanded.

"I said being afraid of losing a game is alright."

"I'll show you whose afraid!" Felicia said, taking out her duel disk.

"Oh, Lord Sesshomaru doesn't allow those to be used in the house," Rin told her, "But we can go to the roof."

"Fine by me, kid," Felicia said. Rin opened the door, and led her down the hall, to the elevators. Soon, they were on the roof, and by now Felicia was ticked off. Why did this kid smile all the time? Why was she so cheerful? And why the heck did she care? "Hurry up and start the game," Felicia said, annoyed.

"Oh, please, you are Lord Sesshomaru's guest. You must begin the duel," Rin said politely.

"Uh, whatever," Felicia said, a little surprised. "I'll take this kid out in a few moves. I play Mataza The Zapper (atk 1300, def 800), in attack mode," And the green armored samurai appeared in the field. "Now I play the magic card Attack Strategy. This lets me attack on my first turn. Go Mataza!"the samurai drew his sword, and with great speed, it charged and slashed at Rin, she winced in pain, but she smiled anyway.

"That was a good move," Rin said, recovering, "I play Mystical Shine Ball (atk 500, def 500) in defense mode, and lay two cards face down."

"That's it?" Felicia asked. "Whatever. I'm drawing, and now I play a card face down, and summon Getsu Fuma (atk 1700, def 1200) to the field," beside the green samurai, a woman in samurai armor appeared.

"Oh she's so pretty!" Rin said, "and she looks like you, Miss Felicia."

"Of course, kid, I modeled for this card," Felicia said, "Pegasus gave it to me as a gift for all my services. Now, if you're done admiring it, get ready to have the Shine Ball destroyed by it. Getsu, attack!"

As the red haired samurai woman started her charge, Rin said, "Revealing face down cards, Solar Ray, and Snatch Steal," the cards flipped face up, and Rin said, "With Solar Ray, you lose 600 life points for every Light Monster on my side of the field. And with Snatch Steal, I can take control of one of your monsters, and I choose Getsu Fuma." as Felicia's signature card advanced across the field, she suddenly turned an came to a halt. Then, Felicia felt a sting of pain as 600 of her life points were taken away.

"Nice strategy, kid, but on my next turn I get 1000 life points during my standby phases." Felicia said. "Your move."

(Rin: 2700, Felicia: 3400)

"Thanks you," Rin said, drawing another card, "I lay this face down and play Venus, The Agent of Creation (atk 1600, def 0)," A winged woman dressed in earthy green and beige appeared, and with her came two more Mystical Shine Balls.

"Where did those come from? What's going on?" Felicia demanded.

"Venus lets me summon up to three Mystic Shine Balls per turn. Since I already had one, I summoned two more. And do not forget my trap." Felicia's points went down another 1800 points. "You may take your turn."

"I don't need your permission!" Felicia said, "Stupid kid, she didn't even attack me," she mumbled. "I draw, and here come the life points."

"Activate face down card," Rin said, the card flipped up, "Bad Reaction to Simochie!"

"What?" Felicia yelled.

"Now you lose 1000 points," Rin said. And Felicia's points dropped drastically.

"It doesn't matter," Felicia said, "Mataza! Attack!" the green samurai jumped into the air, and came down hard on a Shine Ball, shattering it. "Now I play Remove Trap, and get rid of that Solar Ray."

(Rin: 1900, Felicia: 600)

"That was good," Rin said, drawing a card, "But I'm afraid you're going to lose, for I play Monster Reborn." as the card evaporated, the Mystic Shine Ball that had been destroyed returned. Then, the three Shine Balls started circling around Venus.

"What's it doing now?" Felicia asked.

"When three Shine Balls and Venus are all on the field, they increase her power," Rin explained. "Now, Venus, attack Mataza!" Venus held out her hands, then the Shine Balls shot past her, and barreled into the samurai, destroying him, and the rest of Felicia's life points.

(Rin: 1900, Felicia: 0)

Felicia stood there, stunned. She had been trained by the game's creator! How could she lose to a overly developed teenage girl? Then, Rin walked over to her and held out her hand.

"I don't give away my rarest cards, kid, no matter what other people do when they play." Felicia said.

"Uh, uh, that's not what I mean," Rin said. "It's almost dinner time. We should go in," then she took Felicia's hand and led her back inside.

Later, as they were sitting at the table, Felicia stared at her plate.

"The food is edible. I have not poisoned it, if that is your concern," Sesshoamru said to her.

"How come you're not eating?" Felicia asked, suspiciously.

"I do not eat human food. I do not require it." he answered. "And if there was something wrong with this, would I serve it to Rin?" Rin sat happily chomping down on the rice and squid.

"Uh… I'm from LA, we don't eat things with eight legs," Felicia said, disgusted.

"They're not legs," Rin said, "They're tentacles. And they're good! Here, try some," Rin scooped some on her chopstick and shoved them in Felicia's mouth. In shock, she swallowed them. "Would you also like some Wasabe?" Rin asked her.

"No thanks," Felicia said, turning green, "I'm fine with what I have."

"Look, Lord Sesshomaru, her face is green," Rin said, "Just like Master Jaken."

"Indeed," Sesshoamru said, "Here, take the Wasabe. It is actually very good for the human body." and he dumped a generous portion on Felicia's plate. As she was looking at it, feeling sicker than ever, she happened to glance at her 'host', and was surprised yet again. He was smiling. It… wasn't a bad smile.

"What's so funny?" she mumbled, blushing.

"The green color of your face does indeed remind me of a servant I once had." he said.

"Really?" she said, scooting her chair further away. "What happened to him? You didn't eat him did you?"

Rin erupted into a fit of laughing as Sesshomaru answered, "No. He works for my brother now. Tending to his children. Besides, Jaken would not have tasted very pleasing."


	4. Welcome Home Bakura

**Chapter Four: Welcome Home Bakura**

"I'm home." Ryu Bakura said as he climbed out of the cab and walked up to his door. "The others will be surprised to see me tomorrow when I show up for Mokuba's birthday party. I Think it's tomorrow. I might still be on London time." He laughed and opened his front door to find a shocking surprise waiting for him.

"Welcome home Bakura." Said a figure in the darkness, then he reach out and grabbed Bakura and pulled him inside. The door slammed shut and there was a blood curdling scream heard from inside the apartment.

_**Transition**_

Tea awoke in Yugi's bed the next morning. She'd stayed the whole night with him and when she opened her eyes to see Yugi laying beside of her, she was glad. She's had it all wrong. Yami wasn't the one for her after all. It was always Yugi, she just had to open her eyes and see that it was so. In many ways Tea had romanticized what her first time would be like and now that it was over, she had no regrets. She was glad that it had been Yugi holding her, and comforting her, and no one else.

Just then Yugi's grandpa came bursting into the room with a smile on his face and a song in his voice.

"Oh they call me a space cowboy, yeah the call me the gangster of love. Up and at'em Yugi, it's breakfast time, huh?" Tea had ducked her head under the covers just as Grandpa came in and was now hiding but she wasn't doing a very good job of it. As Yugi awoke, he turned to Tea, blushed, then looked at his confused grandfather, and turned beet red.

"Uh, Grandpa, what are you doing just barging into my room like that?" Yugi demanded.

"First things first Yugi, who have you got under there with you?" Grandpa asked him. Slowly Tea's head emerged from underneath the covers and smiled sheepishly.

"Good morning Mr. Mouto sir, nice to see you again." Her face was even redder than Yugi's.

"Oh Tea, thank goodness, for a moment there I thought that Yugi was in some trouble. Staying for breakfast?"

"Uh, sure." She said raising up a little more. "Having pancakes?"

"You know it." Grandpa said with a smile. "Now I'll see you two down stairs in a little while." He turned and left and then Yugi and Tea just looked at each other like "What in the world?"

"Your Grandpa does realize that you and I…?" Tea asked.

"Yeah, I'm sure it hasn't escaped his observation that we're both naked, but Grandpa really likes you Tea. He's always saying good things about you."

"Good, cause I don't think I'd want to be on his bad side." Tea told her lover. "So what now?"

"Right now let's get dressed and go have some breakfast. I don't know about you but I'm starved." Yugi said.

_**Transition**_

Yami came drudging in later that morning after Tea had left the store and after having spent the night clubbing with Bast. They had gone to every club in the city almost and all the while, Bast was working her magic on him. They danced, they drank, they ate plenty of food and all, but deep inside Yami felt empty. He especially was not proud of what he'd done when the partying had ended early that morning.

"Hey, want to come inside with me?" Bast had asked Yami when he dropped her off at her hotel room. Bast had gotten one in advance for just this situation.

"I don't think that I should, I've had quite a bit to drink, and I should be getting home." Yami had said.

"Oh, and I was so hoping that you'd stay for a while. You know, I really got to like you tonight Yami, and I'm not just saying that." Bast had told him. The strange thing about it was, she meant it.

"Well…" Yami was turning it over in his mind but something kept nagging at him like he'd forgotten something important, but he couldn't figure out what it was.

"Please, I'd be so lonely without you." She'd said to him, drawing closer, her hair down over her eyes, and her lips puckering. Yami felt as if he were loosing control of his body. He wasn't thinking clearly anymore and it scared him. Especially when he suddenly found himself kissing with Bast and feeling himself being dragged inside the room. The door had closed behind him and it was too late. Bast had won her first victory over Yami's heart. From then on she would have complete control over his emotions and he wouldn't even know it.

"Something wrong Yami?" Yugi asked his counter part after he finished breakfast round about lunch time.

"Yugi, I did something last night, something I'm not all together sure I should have done."

"Oh is this about Tea?" Yugi asked.

"Tea… Oh no, I completely forgot about Tea!" Yami exclaimed.

"You forgot about her, after what you did to her, you just forgot about it?" Yugi asked, getting mad. "She came to you yesterday, I know all about that, but if that's not what's on your mind then spit it out so I can understand what's more important than a friend of ours?"

"Yugi, I met someone last night after I spoke with Tea, and we…"

"You what?" Yugi asked Yami.

"We stayed out all night long, forgetting about everything, and everyone. Yugi… I slept with her." Yami admitted. Yugi was stunned to say the least, angry wasn't enough to describe how he felt at hearing this either.

"You slept with someone after turning Tea away!" Yugi yelled. "You ass!." He was tempted to strike Yami, but he held back, for their friendship's sake.

"I know Yugi, I know it was wrong, but I couldn't help myself. B was so intoxicating to me, and being with her made me feel something that I had not felt for a long time."

"I don't care how it made you feel, you turned your back on a friend, someone who cared about you, and just left her alone to sleep with the first person she came across. Yami, how could you do anything to hurt Tea, she loves you."

"What's this?" Grandpa asked, coming in on the conversation. "Tea loves Yami? But didn't she spend the night with you Yugi?"

"What?" Yami asked. "Yugi you slept with Tea, when she was on the rebound?"

"It's not like that Pharaoh! I love Tea, and at least I was there for her!"

"Hold on you two boys, hold on." Grandpa said seeing that they were almost at each other's throats.'

"How dare you judge me after what you did!" Yami demanded.

"How dare you do me the same way!" Yugi wanted to know.

_**Transition**_

As Souta sat on the roof of his family's house, enjoying the only un occupied space around, since Kagome had brought her Feudal Family with her to go to Mouba's birthday later today, he suddenly sensed a very annoying presence coming.

"What now, Bast?" Souta asked her as she stood beside him.

"Um… I need to ask you something," she said. She was still in human form, but she was also the same old ditz as always.

"What? Scrub your thousand litter boxes?" he asked.

"No," she said defensively. "I… I started Master Ra's mission for me last night."

"I do NOT want details!" Souta yelled, "That's just gross!"

"Would ya let me finish!" she yelled back. Then, she pulled her knees up to her chest, and blushed as she said, "When I was with the Pharaoh… I felt something."

"What did I just say!" Souta cried, covering his ears.

"It wasn't that!" she snarled. Then, more somberly, she said, "I felt, weird inside… It was like, a bubbly, floaty, happy feeling."

"Oh?" Souta said, feeling mischievous, "Was it… Love?"

"What!" she squeaked, "No! I'm a goddess, we don't feel love!"

"Why not? Aphrodite felt love. She loved all humans… Specially the men," Souta teased.

"Hey, when you wear clothes and the skin for a while, you lose your head," Bast said, defending her old friend. "That's probably it. I've been in human form too long."

"And you can feel love after a day?" Souta asked, skeptically, "Come on, Bast. What are you feeling right now?" "Like I'm miserable without him!" she cried, grabbing Souta's shirt and burying her head in his chest. "I keep thinking about where he is, and what he's doing, and who's he with, and what's he wearing? And the more I think about it, I want him to be with ME! Me, me, ME! I want him to only be with ME!"

"Yep, it's love alright," Souta said. "I've seen this with my sister and Inu-yasha. The second a another girl steps into the picture, you'll go crazy with jealousy."

"What other girl?" Bast asked, jerking her head up, "It's not that Tea, is it? What's he told you!"

"I haven't seen him in a week!" Souta said, pushing her back, "Give me a break! It was hypothetical."

Just then, Apothus showed up. "Ra ssssssayssssss it'sssssssss time to kidnap you, Loki. Bassssssst, take him to the Air Ssssssship, I'll leave the resssssscuersssssss a little note. Remember your part."

"Uh, okay," Bast said, grabbing Souta's wrist. "Come on, kid, it's show time." then she leaned down and hissed "You'd better keep our conversation a secret!"

"Trust, I don't want anyone to think I know you that well," Souta grumbled as they flew to the air. He cleared his throat, and yelled (unenthusiastically) "Help. Please, help. I am being kidnapped."

"Be more convincing!" Bast yelle,d shoving her claws inches form his face.

"HELP! Mad CAT! Inu-yasha! Kagome! Under Dog! Somebody! HELP!"

Inu-yasha and Kagome came running out of the house in time to see Bast flying off with Souta and Apothus was waiting for them out on the yard.

"Souta, oh no!" Kagome cried.

"What do you want with him you snake? Bring him back here right now!" Inu-yasha demanded.

"We're jussssssssst borrowing him for a little while, I promissssssse that he won't be permanently damaged." Apothus hissed. "If you want him back then ssssssend the Preissssstesssss with the Sssssssssssacred Jewel."

"The Sacred Jewel!" They exclaimed. "What do you want with that? It's only good to Demons." Kagome said.

"Our Masssster requiressssss it. Bring the Jewel or your brother will never be the ssssssssssame again." The snake god hissed again then disappeared into a ball of light which floated off towards the heavens.

_**Transition**_

"Welcome home Bakura." Li Zhou said as he pulled Bakura inside the apartment room and shut the door behind them.

"Li Zhou, what are you doing here, you're supposed to be…"

"Buried alive in the Millennium Ring?" He said. "The Millennium Items have lost their magical powers and I have been set free. No more will I be shackled to that worthless piece of metal! Now that I'm free, you and I are going to have some catching up to do. It's been such a long time since we've talked, and I have so missed you my puppet."

"I'm not your puppet anymore Li Zhou," Bakura said pushing him away, "I'm a free man now and I don't have any intention of helping you hatch anymore evil plots."

"Oh really, and what does Sango think about this?" He asked showing him the wrinkled and trashed picture.

"We broke up a long time ago." Bakura informed him. "She married to Miroku now and I haven't heard from them since Kagome called me to let me know that Kaede had died and buried you where you couldn't escape."

"Well things change after five hundred years." The demon said. "I think it's time that we paid our old friends a little visit. Now get your coat," Li Zhou said thrusting the coat over Bakrua's head and grabbing his arm. "It's cold out there, and I don't want you catching cold."

"Who are you now, my mother?" Bakura asked as Li Zhou dragged him out the door and down the hall.

"No, your health affects mine remember?" Li Zhou said as he opened the door down the stair well.

"Can't we just take the elevator?" Bakura asked, looking nervously at all the stairs.

"Oh but it's so much more fun when you're scared out of your wits." Li Zhou laughed as he sent them flying straight down the middle of the stairs.

_**Transition**_

Mokuba sat waiting for all his friends and the other guests to arrive, but so far only business associates had shown up. And they just left gifts at the door and went searching for Seto, "No doubt trying to make him come out of retirement," Mokuba mumbled to himself as he looked at the clock. "Where is everybody?"

"Oh Moki," Rebecca said, laying her head on his shoulder, "You've still got me, and your family."

"Yeah, but I wanted everyone here." Mokuba said. "I hate being thirteen." At that moment, Mokuba's phone started ringing. He answered and found Shippo on the other end. "Where are you?" he demanded of his best friend, "I've been waiting for you guys for over an hour!"

"I'm sorry, buddy," Shippo said, "But we have a situation here. Souta's been kidnapped by Ra's goons!"

"What!" Mokuba yelled.

"Yeah. I already called Rin, so get Rebecca and hurry. This may be our first chance to test the new Millennium Items… If it's not our last," he giggled nervously before hanging up.

"Grab the Millennium Reed, Rebecca," Mokuba said, standing up and pulling the sheild out of a case from under the couch, "We have a Chaos God to save."

_**Transition**_

Li Zhou zipped through the city, dodging buildings and vehicles as he flew to the Sun Set Shrine, dragging a screaming Bakura behind him.

"I'm going to be sick!" the young man yelled, covering his mouth as they knocked over trashcans and whizzed past frightened pedestrians.

"Then hold it," Li Zhou advised him. "I have several bones to pick today."

"Oh God, I hope you stop soon," Bakura moaned.

His wish soon came true. Li Zhou spotted the familiar stairs that led up to old Shrine. He zoomed up, pulling his hostage behind him, and in seconds they were standing in front of the building that hid the ancient Bone Eater's Well.

**_Transition_**

Nearly everyone had met up there at the shrine to being the rescue operation, everyone except Yami.

"Yugi, where's the Pharaoh?" Kagome asked when he and Tea came running up alone.

"We couldn't find Yami, he's gone off somewhere alone, and I'm very afraid for him." Yugi said. "I think things are getting worse for him. Being in a young man's body all this time has done things to him mind. He's not himself."

"We'll just have to go without him." Miroku sighed. " I brought Kirara."

"Where's Sango?" Tea asked.

"At home with the baby. I really should be with her."

"This won't take long." Inu-yasha said. "We're going to bust right into that Ra's air fortress and get Souta, then we're going leave."

"We're ready." Rebecca said for her group.

"Great, a kindergartner's party." Came a voice from behind them. "What are all you kids up to?" They turned around and saw Sesshomaru walking up dressed in his battle armor with a woman dressed in black ninja garb.

"Hey bro, who's your date?" Inu-yasha asked with a smirk.

"This is Felicia and she's a well respected warrior. We thought that Rin might need some help storming Ra's fortress."

"Lord Sesshomaru." Rin said happily. "Thank you."

"Well if we're all here, then let's go." Inu-yasha said.

"Right, half of you guys ride on Kirara, the rest go with Shippo." Kagome said as she mounted the large beast.

"Why do I always have to do this sort of thing?" Shippo asked as he transformed into a balloon with basket. Everyone started to pile on or climb in when all of a sudden, another creature of the night came stalking out of the bushes where he'd been hiding, dragging his frightened captive behind him.

"I don't think so." Li Zhou stated as his hands lit up.

"Bakura, Li Zhou!" The all exclaimed.

"So kind of you to remember me. Now it's time for all of you to die." He fired dark energy bursts at them all and then rose high up into the air to rain down more carnage and destruction.

"Now that I'm no longer shackled to that blasted human, I have my full demon powers, and I can't be stopped!" Li Zhou laughed wickedly as his enemies ran for cover. Pour Bakura just cringed and cowered in the bushes.

"Who's this freak?" Felicia asked Sesshomaru, as they ducked into the well house with Rin.

"This is a demon left over from the Chaos Wars." Sesshomaru explained. "He once inhabited a young man's body but now he has been set free."

"Oh, silly me." She replied. "So what are we going to do about him, we can't rescue that other kid until we defeat this guy."

"I have a plan." Sesshomaru said then he leaped back out the door and ran faster than lightning to where Inu-yasha and Kagome were crouched underneath the patio furniture. "Inu-yasha, prove to me that you have what it takes." He dared him.

"What?" Inu-yasha asked.

"You go behind him and I shall attack him head on." Sesshomaru told him then he shoved Inu-yasha out into the line of fire. The two brothers ran and dodged blasts of dark energy as they leaped up into the air. Sesshomaru took Li Zhou head on with his Tokijin while Inu-yasha came up from behind with the Tetsusaiga. The two swords clashed in the middle as they ripped through Li Zhou's flesh and cut him in half. Two halves fell to earth where they landed on the ground. When Li Zhou's torso and head landed, they began to twitch violently. "This was hardly a challenge for me." Sesshormau said.

"Really, well next time, I'll try to put up more of a fight." Li Zhou said with a smirk.

"There is no next time for you." Sesshormaru declared then thrust his sword into the demon's heart. Li Zhou was dead, and his body faded into dust.


	5. Bast's Decision

**Authors' Note-  
**Bluerain: Sorry for the long wait guys. 

Sir Larry: Yeah, we've had a lot going on.

Bluerain: So, on with the story!

**Chapter Five: Bast's Decision; The Forgiveness of Love**

Bast stood on the deck of the air ship and waited for Kagome and the other's to come.

"You have a visitor." Ra came out and said to her. Bast looked at the glowing orb in his hand and saw in it an image of Yami standing at her hotel room door.

"Oh, what should I…"

"Go to him, and ensure that your spell does not diminish over him. Besides, I don't need you here to defend me. Our little Loki will play his part or his family will suffer." Souta was standing behind Ra listening to everything. Now he prepared himself to betray his friends, for the sake of his family, and for the sake of the world. Even without him they might still find a way to defeat Ra, and when that day came he would stand by his friends again, but for now he was a prisoner of Ra's will.

"Okay, I'm off to see my boy toy, See ya around Loki." Bast waved to him then disappeared into a ball of light. She floated down to the Earth, just passing Kagome and the others, who were on their way to save Souta. She rematerialized in her hotel room just in time for Yami's first knock on the door. He'd been standing outside for a while but was afraid to knock because he did not know how he would react to seeing Bast again. "Hold on a moment." She called out to him, then magically she transformed into human form, dressed in nothing but a bath robe. She put her hair up in a towel then opened the door.

"B." Yami said, a quiet smile on his face.

"Yami." Bast blushed to see him standing there. "Come in, I was just thinking about you." She showed him to the bed, a way he remembered all too vividly. They sat down and began to talk. "So have you been thinking about me?" She asked him.

"Yes, I've been unable to think of anything else but you today, myself." He told her as he took off his jacket. The room was a bit more straightened up than when he'd left it earlier. "I want to talk to you about something."

"Yeah, I wanted to talk to you too. I had a great time last night, better than any I've had in a while, and when we…" She was turning redder than ever now. "Well, let's just say that, I was really glad that you stayed with me, cause I've never felt this way before about anyone."

"Never?" Yami asked, surprised.

"Oh there have been men, lots of men, but never anyone like you, Yami."

"There's never been anyone like you either, B." He admitted to her. "In fact last night was my first time."

"Wow!" Bast exclaimed. "I've never been anyone's first time before. You really mean that, you're not just yanking my chain?" She asked him.

"I wouldn't be untruthful with someone I've been intimate with." Yami reassured her. "That's why I've come here tonight, in fact, I must tell you something that has been weighing on my mind all day."

"Well out with it lover, I'm getting a little anxious." Bast said, smiling that seductive smile of hers and placing her hands on Yami's.

"The thing is B, I'm not sure of what I'm feeling right now, and I don't think it would be fair to you for me to continue to delude myself. You see my friends are very important to me. Right now they're all I have."

"I see where this is going." Bast said turning away. "This is the story of my life, I meet a guy who's really good for me, then I scare him away." She was putting on quite a show.

"No, I'm not scared of you." Yami interjected. "I'm scared of myself."

"Huh?" Bast was confused now.

"If it were up to me B, nothing would stop me from wanting you. I would take you in my arms right now and make love to you all over again." He said clinching his fists. "But I just can't be that close to anyone."

"Oh, don't say things like that to me Yami, " Bast said turning away from him. "Not when I'm feeling this way myself…" She had stopped acting now, and was drawing on her own personal feelings. "I'm so confused and everything too. Don't you think that I've been thinking about these things myself? I just can't stand it anymore." She finally said.

"Can't stand what?" Yami asked, now he was the one who was confused.

"I've been lying to you Yami." Bast said. "My name's not B. It's Bast, and I'm not your friend, I'm you enemy." She said teary eyed.

"You're Bast, the Cat Goddess?" Yami exclaimed.

"Yes," She sniffled, and then threw herself into Yami's arms. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, but my master wanted me to do this, all of this, even to seduce you into leaving your friends." She was crying now and in a fit of tears.

"I don't believe it." Yami said holding her in his arms, and wishing with all his might that this was not so. "How could you deceive me like this?"

"Yami you don't understand his power. He's an evil god with strong shadow powers. In fact, I've probably already put both of us in danger by admitting to you who I am."

"Bast… I can't believe it. And I allowed myself to care for you so much."

"Yami, I care for you too, that's why I can't continue to allow you be under my spell."

"What spell?" Yami asked.

"I placed one of Aphrodite's old love spells on you, so that you would fall in love with me, and that's why you forgot about your friends the other night. Because of me."

"Bast," Yami said, "I don't know what you're telling me but I know that no spell could make me feel the way that I do for you."

"Really?" Bast asked him. "Then you really do love me?" her heart grew hopeful.

"I don't know what love of this nature is." He admitted. "But I do feel something stronger than friendship for you. Even enough to forgive you for what you did." He told her.

"Forgiveness?" Bast asked. "What is that?"

"Forgiveness is this." Yami said and he hugged close, as if the heavens would tear them apart if he did not.

**_Transition_**

Kagome and the others flew high above the earth, as high as Kirara and Shippo could take them. Then they saw it, hovering high above Tokyo, Ra's air fortress.

"That thing's massive!" Tristan exclaimed.

"Dude, we're in over our heads." Mokuba said to Shippo as his balloon form rose higher and higher to the mouth of the great Eagle shaped air ship.

"We have to save Souta." Kagome reiterated. "Who knows what they're doing to him up there."

"How bad off could he be, if he supposed to be this great god that he said he was, then Loki should be doing just fine." Felicia commented.

"Loki is a lesser god than Ra." Rin explained. "His chaos powers are only strong enough to resist Ra's power for a short time."

"In other words, we are running out of time to save him." Sesshomaru stated. "Very well then, let us be done with this labor." He leaped up from the basket and landed on poor Shippo's head, or the balloon that was his head, and then drew his sword. "Inu-yasha, are you coming?" He asked his brother.

"Hey, who made you the leader?"

"In King Yami's absence I believe that I'm the only one who is qualified to lead." Sesshomaru stated for the record. "Now draw you sword and come with me, we've enough work to do without fighting amongst ourselves."

**_Transition_**

Yami and Bast sat holding each other on the bed, then Bast remembered, and she almost freaked.

"Oh gosh!' She exclaimed. "Your friends, they're walking into a trap." She blurted out.

"My friends?" Yami demanded. "Where?"

"Aboard Ra's air ship. We took Loki there to lure them into bringing the Sacred Jewel to Ra." She admitted. "Oh Yami, forgive me." Bast begged him.

"Never mind that," He said, "We must go to them, and you can fill me in on the way."

**_Transition_**

Ra waited comfortably in his thrown room for his guests to arrive. Souta sat chained to him like a pet on a leash. His head hung low, contemplating his next move, and the consequences. To save his family he would betray his friends, and the world, for he was still so weak hearted that the could not resist the great Ra. Just then, on the monitors, the hull of the air ship exploded and through a the massive whole leaped Inu-yasha, Sesshomaru, and the others.

"Apothus, go greet our visitors and take Loki with you." He said handing the chain over to the snake god. "I will enjoy seeing their faces as they are forced to fight one of their friends."

"What about Basssssssst? Sssssssssshe's sssssssssssstill down there with the Pharaoh." Apothus asked.

"Leave our treasonous little Cat Goddess to me, she'll pay for telling the Pharaoh about my plot."

Apothus bowed and then left with Souta to go and fend off the invaders, but only so much, as Ra wanted to meet them all face to face eventually. For now though, they would put up a less than convincing fight for them, until little Souta's turn came up, then he would make sure that they got everything that Loki had.

**_Transition_**

Bast carried Yami through the air over the city of Tokyo up to the air fortress. On the way, she filled Yami in on Ra's dastardly plan to break his friends apart and capture him and Kagome and the Sacred Jewel. Yami had to admit that he was still suspicious of it all. Bast could very well be delivering him to Ra but then he felt ashamed for mistrusting her, after all, she didn't have to tell him this. Bast was confessing her heart to him though and he loved her all the more for being so honest with him. Maybe that love was blinding him to what could be a trap or maybe it was opening his eyes to the world that Yugi and his friends lived in everyday while Yami was safe in his puzzle.

**_Transition_**

After busting down yet another door, they finally found the air ship's bridge. Both Inu brothers had their swords raised, and Shippo struggling to raise his, and all looked around.

"Where the heck is everybody?" Tristan asked. He was right, there was no on one there!

"Is this a joke?" Inu-yasha asked, "No guards, then no master villain to fight? If no one's fighting us then why are we here?"

"You have come to duel… And not with cards, but in proper fassssssshion" said a voice from the roof. Then, down dropped Apothus, his fangs dripping with venom, and his hood open, and a scimitar in his hands.

"I ain't here to duel," Inu-yusha said, "I'm here to kick your scaly hide!"

"I wassssssssssn't talking to you, idiot," Apothus said. "I wasssssss adressssssing your brother. You are no worthy opponent for me."

"Huh?" Inu-yasha asked, his face fallen. "I'm not worthy?"

"Hey! Are you gonna cry or save my brother?" Kagome yelled at her husband.

"Your brother assesses fine," Apothus said, "Ssssssee for yourself," Apothus yanked on a chain and out came Lokie, bound at the wrists.

"Change him back and let him go!" Kagome seethed, aiming an arrow at the great Serpent.

"Oh, you don't want me to releasssssssse him," Apothus said. "Hissssss powerssssss are bound so long asssssss hissssssss handssssss are bound. If I releassssssssse him there'ssssssss no telling what the God of Chaos will do."

"I know my brother," Kagome said, "Now let him GO!"

"Assssssss you wisssssssh," Apothsu tugged on the chain once more and it fell off of Loki's hands.

Then, he raised them over his head, and with a tear on his eye he said, "Sis…. Forgive me." and he fired a gigantic ball of Chaos Lightening at his friends and family.

"Ray of Hope!" Rin cried, raising her arms, and creating a golden force field around them. The Chaos Lightening bounced off the gilded half sphere and non were harmed.

"No interferanssssssse from you!" Apothus hissed, and charged at the girl.

However, Sesshomaru quickly parried Apothus' attack with Tokijin, and then leapt over him, lading behind him.

"Your fight is with me, not a child." Sesshomaru said.

"Then try to ssssssscratch me, you pathetic excusssssssse for immortal!" Apothus challenged. He swung his tail under Sesshomaru, but the dog demon jumped up again, and with a war cry he sliced at the snake's sword arm.

While those two clashed, Kagome tried to reason with her brother, as her friends surrounded them ready for any other surprises.

"Souta," Kagome said, "Souta, you don't want to do this! I know you wouldn't betray us."

"I have no choice Kagome," he said, and swung his arms, throwing more Chaos Lightening at those he once stood beside.

As everyone was dodging the balls of lightening, Rebecca yelled, "Guys! If we're gonna test these Items, it's now or never! One, two, three!" Rebecca raised the Millennium Reed, and started the tempo.

Rin raised the Millennium Flute to her lips and played a song of war, a song of people banding together to fight the greatest evil, fighting to reclaim captured lands and comrades. As she played, Rebecca started singing in an ancient tongue none there had ever heard before, and Shippo raised up his Millennium Sword, and Mokuba his Millennium Shield.

"Stop!" Loki yelled at them, "Stop now! I don't want to kill you! Please!"

"You won't kill us," Mokuba answered. Then, he got up and charged, yelling, "Millennium Shield! High Noon Barrier!" And he swung and threw Loki off his feet, into the wall.

"Millennium Sword!" Shippo cried, "Rising Sun Strike!" and as he too charged, and raised the Sword to stab him, Loki reached into his pocket.

"Millennium Chain, GO! Binding Rays of Sun!" and the Chain knocked the Sword from Shippo's hands.

"They'll never stop him as long as he has that Chain," Felicia said, "So I'll go!"

"No!" Mokuba yelled at her, "You'll get killed."

"Who made that thing anyway?" she asked.

"All of us, but Rin-" then got an idea, "RIN! Play another song! One to take away the pwer of the chain."

"I can't," Rin, said, pausing, "The power resides in him. Only he can chose to stop it or not."

"SILENCE!" Loki screamed. He balled his fists and shouted, "My fight is with the Priestess! ALL OF YOU BEGONE!" and he slammed his fists into the floor, making the entire ship rumble and the floor fall out from under them.

As pieces of the bridge crashed and landed in the second level of the vessel, Loki walked through the debris, and came upon an unconscious Kagome. He loomed over her, and taking the chain in his hands, he raised it and pulled it tight above his head.

At that moment, Shippo lifted the slab that covered him and his two other friends, and looking at Loki, he cried, "Please Souta! Stop! Don't kill your own sister! Think about her babies! Kaede and Hiroshi need her!"

Loki stood still, keeping his pose. Then, he quietly said, "Killing her is not my intent." then, he looked at the chain, and said, "Millennium Chain… Bind me! Hold my power and keep me form hurting anyone else!" Then, the Chain snaked and coiled around his arms and pulled them to his sides, and them behind him as it wound tighter and tighter. Finally, the two ends snapped and connected, and sent shock waves through Loki's body, making him scream and groan in pain. And then, the chain and the Chaos God went still, and as his body dropped to the rubble covered floor, he changed back into Souta.

**_Transition_**

Apothus spewed his poison venom at Sesshomaru as he turned to see if Rin was okay. She had fallen through the floor with the others and now lay unconscious under the rubble. Apothus' poisonous venom covered Sesshomaru's armor and began to burn through. He quickly removed it and then took up his sword again. Their duel was still on it seemed, even though things had taken a quite unusual turn. This was not the only strange thing they would see for as the god and the demon fought, Bast and Yami were entering the air fortress.

Yami activated his duel disk and drew five cards from his deck.

"What good is that going to do?" Bast asked him.

"Just watch." Yami said and summoned his Celtic Guardian. "Now which way are my friends?"

"Just up ahead." Bast said. "But we can't get through, there's a magical barrier up around that area of the ship now."

"Just watch." Yami told her then pointed to his Celtic Guardian. "Go!" He commanded and the elfin creature smashed through the door with his sword. "When you're fighting magic, use magic."

**_Transition_**

"Excellent." Ra thought to himself as he looked at the floating orb in his hand. "Now the Pharaoh is here and my little wayward kitten as well."

"You know this could be a whole new way of communicating right here." Said the voice of his mysterious partner, the man in the black business suit who had been contacting him for some time now about his plans. His image appeared in a second orb which Ra held in his other hand. "So they're all there huh, well that's great. Now what though, we've got them right where we want them, but how do we catch them? Your minions seem to have their own agendas. Bast is in love with the Pharaoh now, thanks to your stupid plan to 'Seduce' him to your side, and Apothus is otherwise engaged fighting that demon."

"Yes, and it would seem that Loki has given up on his part of our bargain. I will simply have to punish him for this." Ra said observing his pitiful excuses for servants as they fought their way through the ship one at a time. Bast heading for he bridge with he Pharaoh, Apothus heading for the deck with Sesshomaru following closely behind, and then there was the Avatar, and her companions. They were all recovering from the fall into the lower quarter of the ship. Ra supposed that he would just have to take matters into his own hands once again.


	6. Wrath Of The Gods

**Chapter Six: The Wrath of the Gods.**

"Souta, you're yourself again." Kagome said as she held her brother. He was still wrapped in the Millennium Chain and it still bound his powers with a tight spell. In his current state, Souta could ill afford to let Loki loose again, otherwise he might attack them again. Loki was frightened of Ra and would do anything to keep his wrath from being poured out on those he loved. He'd even sacrifice his friendships with his family and the others to save them from Ra's terrible power.

"Sis, I'm sorry." Souta sniffled. "I'm so sorry, I couldn't help it, I really couldn't."

"Then why'd you stop?" Inu-yasha asked.

"I don't know, I don't know why Loki stopped, but he's gone crazy. He thinks that the only way to save you from Ra is to deliver you to him along with the Sacred Jewel."

"The Sacred Jewel?" They all exclaimed. "Souta," Kagome said, "That's gone, you know that."

"So then why is Ra after it?" Rebecca asked.

"I don't know but he's never going to get it." Inu-yasha said as he dusted himself off.

"Guys, I think we've got bigger problems." Yugi said pointing to a shadowy figure as it approached them from the darkened corridor. The figure stopped short of the light and placed one hand on it's hip. Then twitched it's ears which were on top of it's head. A tail slinked around it's waste and then stood straight out behind it.

"Hello there everyone." Came a soft and sultry voice. "I'm back." And then Bast stepped out into the light and smiled, "Need a hand?" She asked and lifted two of them up and set them back on their feet.

"What the hell is this?" Inu-yasha asked, outraged by the cat goddess' behavior. "Are you really that big a ditz that you don't remember who's side you're on?"

"I know perfectly well who's side I'm on." Bast said pointing behind her to the shadows. "I'm on his side." Everyone looked expecting to see Ra approaching but instead they found,

"Yami!" They all exclaimed when he stepped into the light.

"Did I miss something here or what?" Asked Joey.

"You numb skull, what have you done?" Kaiba demanded to know.

"I've brought Bast over to our side." Yami said and took her hand. "Isn't that right my dear?" He asked her.

"That's right darling." She replied.

"Dear? Darling? What is this?" Inu-yasha cried.

"Yeah, what is this?" Tea demanded. "Are you saying, Yami, that you blew me off so that you could be with Bast, the Cat Goddess of Egypt?"

"Not exactly like that, but yes, Bast is my girlfriend now." Yami said proudly.

"Wait so then Bast is the one that you slept with last night?" Yugi asked.

"YOU WHAT?" Everyone exclaimed, Tea the loudest of all, and boy was she pissed.

"Oh so you must be Yami's ex." Bast said looking at Tea, "Boy what a small world. You know you look a little plain for Yami to be hanging out with, much less dating. No wonder he dumped you."

"Plain?" Tea stuck out her chest and huffed. "What just because I'm not built like a brick bombshell, that's supposed to mean that I'm not good enough for Yami?"

"Oh, I didn't mean it that way." Bast said.

"Well it just so happens that I don't need Yami." Tea said grabbing little Yugi up by the shirt collar and holding him close. "I've got Yugi."

"What you mean this kid?" Bast exclaimed. "You some kind of cradle robber or something?"

"Hey, I'm nearly 20 years old now." Yugi shouted at Bast. After the initial shock had subsided the gang resolved that this could all wait until later to be sorted out. Right then they needed to find a way out of that place which didn't involve confronting Ra. Then they remembered that they were forgetting someone.

"Where's Lord Sesshomaru?" Rin cried as they all looked back up the hole in the ceiling. There was an explosion and the sounds of a battle vibrated through the ship.

"Well let's go save him." Inu-yasha said.

**_Transition_**

On the upper deck of the ship, Sesshmaru ran through the smoke to get to the hole in the floor. If Rin were injured then the universe would feel his wrath. But before he could get to the crevice, Apothus tackled him from behind, sending them both sprawling over the debris covered floor. Before the powerful dog demon could get his breath back, Apothus was on top of him, choking him with his scaly hands, and laughing in triumph.

"To bad sssssssssshe didn't die earlier," Apothus gloated, "You might have put up a decsssssssent fight."

Sesshomaru's eyes were tinged with red. He was almost prepared to transform and bite this annoying lizard's head off. However, at that point, Inu-yasha sprang up from the hole, and with a swipe of Tetsusaiga, he cut Apothus's arms off. Apothus shrieked in rage, while his severed arms dropped from Sesshomaru's neck.

"Ha! That'll show ya how 'worthy' I am," Inu-yasha said.

"Foolish, brother," Sesshomaru said, getting up and taking a defensive stance.

"What are you talking about? He's got no arms," Inu-yasha said.

"Idiot!" Apothus spat. "I am God of Reptilesssssssss! Not one of your pathetic demonsssssss," with that, the stumps of Apothus' arms began to protrude, and two new arms broke through the seared bone and tissue.

"I think I'm gonna barf my Ramen," Inu-yasha said, his face turning green.

"Impressive trick ," Sesshomaru said, "But can you repeat it when you are cloven in two?" and with one stroke, he sliced in two! Both brothers awaited for the halves to fall to the floor, but the serpent just laughed again, and the two halves grew back. They now faced two Apothuses.

"Got anymore bright ideas, bro?" Inu-yasha asked.

"I could try cleaving you in two, Inu-yasha," Sesshomaru replied, "I doubt you would grow back."

"And after I save your life, too," Inu-yasha said, acting insulted.

"Sssssshut up!" cried the two Serpent Lords. "If I waned to sssssssssssee a family ssssssquabble, I'd watch televisssssssssssion! Prepare for your deathsssssssss!"

"Apothus, enough," Declared the voice of Ra. "I want these intruders out of my home, this instant. They have what they desire."

The Apothuses groaned, then said in unison, "This is not over, Dogssssss! We will fight again, and I will be victorioussssssss!" and he disappeared. Then, the ship spit in two, and everyone starting falling!

"Hold on!" Shippo cried, and transformed into a giant air balloon, and he and Kirara flew at lightening speeds to catch everyone.

Safe in the basket, Mokuba asked, "Could you have taken any longer?"

"I forgot I could turn into this thing, sorry," Shippo said, and began to descend to the earth.

**_Transition_**

Back in one half of the air ship, Ra watched his enemies retreat. He was shortly joined by two angry snake gods.

"Apothus," Ra said, "Pull yourself together."

"Yesssssss Massster," they said, as they joined hands and quickly pulled one end of themselves towards the other, becoming one sinister being again.

"Had the Hydra have that much sense, she would not have died." Ra commented.

"It'ssssss not my fault my children were ssssssstupid," Apothus said.

"Silence. We must plan. And clean up this mess."

"Yessssss Massssster, but what about Basssssst?"

"She still has her uses." Ra said. "Now grab a mop."

_**Transition**_

"Yami, we can't trust her." Yugi said to his former counter part, concerning Bast, as they all sat outside the Sunset Shrine with their friends. Bast clung to Yami's arm and he clung to her as if the others were threatening to come between them.

"Yugi, please trust me, Bast is a different person now. " Yami said getting up with Bast.

"She's not a person at all." Kaiba disagreed. "She's one those so called gods and as long as they're around, we've no time to argue. We have to prepare for how we're going to beat them."

"Don't you think that Bast could help us do that?" Souta asked. "Don't forget, I'm one of those so called gods and I'm on your guys' side."

"Oh yes, we've seen how loyal you are." Kaiba snapped at the boy. Souta stepped back from him and went to go stand with Yami and Bast.

"Well if my brother believes she's changed then so do I." Kagome said and went over with them as well.

"You've got to be kidding me." Inu-yasha groaned.

"If Kagome and Souta believe then I believe." Agreed Shippo.

"If Shippo believes then so do we." The other kids all said in unison.

"Tea, what do you think?" Yugi asked her as they all got up to stand on their respective sides. "I'm with Kaiba for once."

"I don't know." Tea replied. She was still hurt at Yami to find out that he'd blown her off for Bast that day when she'd come to him with her heart in her hands. Right now she would have gone either way if only because she still loved both Yugi and Yami.

"I believe that we're all feeling the same thing." Sesshomaru said. "We don't know if we can trust Bast. King Yami, what do you believe, in your heart of hearts, what do you believe?" He asked him.

"What do I believe?" Yami asked in reply. "Well, I'll tell you, Mokuba, Shippo, Souta, Rebecca, and Rin I need a beat." He told them and with Souta's snap of a finger they each had instruments. Yami took up a microphone and Kiaba sighed.

_"I believe the sun should never set upon an argument.  
I believe we place our happiness in other people's hands.  
I believe that junk food tastes so good because it's bad for you.  
I believe your parents did the best job they knew how to do.  
I believe that beauty magazines promote low esteem.  
I believe I'm loved when I'm completely by myself alone._

_I believe in Karma, what you give is what you get returned.  
I believe you can't appreciate real love until you've been burned.  
I believe the grass is no more greener on the other side.  
I believe you don't know what you've got until you say goodbye._

_I believe you can't control or choose your sexuality.  
I believe that trust is more important than monogamy.  
I believe your most attractive features are your heart and soul.  
I believe that family is worth more than money or gold._

_I believe the struggle for financial freedom isn't fare,  
I believe the only ones who disagree are millionaires._

_I believe in Karma, what you give is what you get returned.  
I believe you can't appreciate real love until you've been burned.  
I believe the grass is no more greener on then other side.  
I believe you don't know what you've got until you say goodbye._

_I believe forgiveness is the key to your unhappiness.  
I believe that wedded bliss negates the need to be undressed.  
I believe the gods do not endorse TV evangelists.  
I believe in love surviving death into eternity._

_I believe in Karma, what you give is what you get returned,  
I believe you can't appreciate real love until you've been burned.  
I believe the grass is no more greener on the other side.  
I believe you don't know what you've got until you say goodbye."_

Kaiba balled up his fists, and as the vein in his head started bulging, he walked up to Yami, grabbed the microphone from his hand, and started beating the Pharaoh over the head! He finished the thrashing with a swift kick to the butt, and yelled, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING! This isn't American Idol, and you're no singing sensation- you're so tone deaf that Inu-yasha's howling is better dancing music than your voice! Now get a grip, get rid of that hair ball hacking tramp of yours, and give us some useful information for once in your afterlife!"

"Kaiba's right." Bast said. "Ra's plans for you and Kagome, Pharaoh, have been delayed, but not stopped. If he can't capture you one way, he'll do it another."

"And in what ways has he been planning this?" Yami asked.

"He plans to draw you and all your friends into a tournament. A tournament of Champions. That's all that I know." Bast told them.

"Yeah right." Tea said looking down her nose at Bast. "Why would Ra want to host a Tournament when all he has to do is come down with his Air Ship and blast everyone?"

"He fears the power of the Avatar." Bast explained. "He knows that there is no way to willingly draw her close enough to destroy her, so he hopes to capture her during the Tournament. He has powerful friends too, some here on earth, and others in the celestial realm. You may not be any match for him Pharaoh, but the girl might be."

"Nevertheless we have to try and defeat him. If Ra is really going to host a Tournament of Champions then each of us has to be ready to do his part to help rid the world of his evil forever." Yami said looking at all his friends.

"If it's a tournament then I'm in." Joey replied.

"Count me in too, nothing would give me more pleasure than to stomp this Ra into the ground, and take his Egyptian God Card." Kaiba grinned.

"Count us in too." Came a voice from behind them. They all turned and looked to find Rafael and his friends, Allester and Valen standing there with their duel disks ready.

"Rafael what are you all doing here?" Yugi asked.

"We'd heard from Mai about your little misfortune, Mate." Valen replied. "So we came rushing over as fast as we could get a boat, or plane, or whatever out."

"If your going up against Ra then you'll need all the help you can get. I've been doing some research about this all and I've come up with a pretty good plan." Rafael said.

"Well, glad to hear somebody's on the ball." Joey said looking over at Yami with great distain.

"I suppose then that you won't be needing me." Bast said suddenly and turned to leave, but Yami took her by the hand.

"You don't have to leave on their account." He told her.

"No, it's okay, I'll be around later. Right now I've got some unfinished work to do myself. Bye my love." Bast said then kissed Yami goodbye. Tea thought that she might puke.

"We shall leave, also." Sesshomaru said taking Rin with him. "This doesn't concern us."

"Oh it doesn't?" Felicia asked stopping. "In case you haven't noticed, Lord Sesshomaru, your ward here is the Avatar. She's Ra's target and we all need to stick together if we're going to protect her."

"What concern is it to you?" Sesshomaru asked her turning to take Rin's hand. "You're not her mother, and we are not married. So, as they say, back off."

"You're not the only one who loves this kid." Felicia told him.

"That's right." Shippo added. "We all love Rin, she's part of our family now, and we're not going to just stand idly by while something happens to her."

"Like it or not bro, this is your family now too." Inu-yasha said to him. "You may not have wanted it this way, but they all kind of grow on you."

"Then I have just one request then," Sesshomaru said. "of Sorcerer Kaiba. Your technology is great and I have seen what you can do now with prosthetics."

"Yeah so?" Kaiba asked.

"Make for me a new arm." Sesshomaru stated, rolling up his left sleeve. "As I am now, I can not protect Rin from these creatures who call themselves gods."

"Um… I thought they were gods," said Tristan, scratching his head.

"Have you learned nothing?" Sesshomaru asked them all. "Has Inu-yasha never spoken the tale?"

"What tale?" Inu-yasha asked, crossing his arms.

"Forgive me, I forgot that father died when you were an infant. However, he did tell me the tale of the Celestial Fall."

"The Celestial Fall?" Tea asked.

"It is a tale told in all lands, as my travels have proven, though the names differ from one land to another," Sesshomaru said. "Long ago, there were no demons on the earth. That was when this world was in it's earliest beginnings. There was a place, in the heavens, where beautiful creatures dwelled under the rule of one mighty and all powerful being. Some of these creatures, very strong ones, were close to this being. He loved each and every one.

"However, one of these beings thought himself especially great, and magnificent. He looked on the heavenly world, and thought, 'Why must I be but a servant? Why can't I rule this land, as well as the land below?' Thus, he amassed a following, and tried to overthrow his master. But, the almighty One would not allow this insurrection, which caused so much suffering among the loyal of his creations. He sent another of the powerful creatures, one who followed and loved his master, to fight the usurper. The uprising was squashed, and all who had rebelled were thrown down from the skies, banished for all time.

"That is how the demons came to roam the earth," Sesshomaru said, finishing his tale. "And since these beings, Ra, Apothus, Bast, even Amateratsu… They cannot be true gods. Humans, who seldom see powerful beings, will call anything strange and strong a god. Is this not true, brother?"

"That was a one time thing!" Inu-yasha yelled, blushing from embarrassment. "How did you hear about that 'Dog God' thing anyway?"

"A whisper on the wind," Sesshomaru said, amused.

"Well, if they're not gods, then what are they?" Allestar asked.

"Where's Souta?" asked Rebecca.

"Hey Yami, you're girlfriend's missing," Yami looked, and Bast was gone. But still creeping in the hallway was Souta. Rafael pushed his way through and grabbed the boy up before he could run off.

"Alright, little Chaos God, tell the truth, what are you really?" the big, intimidating duelist demanded.

Souta, sweating, said, "Um, would you believe that we're actually a bunch of aliens?"

"Try again," Valen said, holding up his fist.

"It's true," Souta said, squirming, "We're not really gods! And we are aliens. Our ancestors came from a planet, led by Ra and Amteratsu's father. He could control the air currents on this world, and make lightning storms whenever he wanted. So the people here called him the thunder god. It was like that for a lot of the originals. Then me and Ra and others were born, being part human or demon, depending on what race was the favorite at the time"

"So if Amateratsu was part human, then what are the rest of you?" Kagome asked.

" Ra's part demon, so is Apothus. They think that makes them better than better than the ones who were born with human blood… Me among 'em." Souta explained. "Bast is the only one who was born from two of our own race. Unfortunately, they dropped her on her head."

"So what's with the big mystery?" Yugi asked. "Why didn't you tell us sooner that you weren't really gods?"

"Well… being a god sounded so much cooler," Souta said, "Besides, people aren't ready to know that aliens live among them."

"Then the whole reason Ra's going berserk is because the title went to his head?" Mai said.

"Yeah that pretty much sums it up," Souta said. "So, can you put me down, Mr. Rafael Sir?" he asked, shaking all over. The duelist set him down on the ground, and Souta wiped the sweat from his head.

"In any case, we've got to start making plans for this tournament. Hmmm… This should actually be fun. I've never competed professionally before."

"And I always wanted to meet someone else who's beaten Yugi." Kagome said. She grabbed Kaiba's arm, and said, "Welcome to the 'I beat Yugi Club' Rafael!"

"Kagome, don't talk about that!" Yugi cried.

"You mean you were defeated by a girl?" Rafael asked.

"Watch it pal," Mai interrupted, "I'm a girl and I could beat Yugi if I wanted to!"

"Then it's settled," Mokuba said, "We'll all gain up on Yugi at the tournament."

"Technically, I was the one dueling all those times," Yami pointed out, his already large head swelling up.

"STAY OUT OF THIS, TRAITOR!" they all screamed at him.

**Authors' Note:**  
P.S. We don't own the song _Affimation_ it belongs to Savage Garden. Please reveiw!


	7. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

Bakura's devious double watched from his hiding place in the bushes near the shrine as his enemies bickered amongst themselves. Never supposing that he'd survived and that he'd regenerated himself in the time since they'd been aboard Ra's ship. Now the dastardly demon snickered with delight as he saw his enemies slowly turning against one another.

"This could work to my advantage." He said to himself the slowly he shrank back into the darkness.

**_Transition_**

"Then it's agreed," Tea said. "We'll all join this tournament and stop Ra from whatever he's planning to do."

"It's going to be hard mates." Valen said as he stood with his arms crossed. "Ra is the most dangerous of all the Egyptian Gods and his winged Dragon is the most powerful of all the three God cards."

"I've beaten Ra before, and I'll do it again." Yugi said, "and this time I won't need the help of the Pharaoh."

"Yugi…" Yami started to object but then he thought better than to argue. Yugi and the others obviously had lost trust in him now so there was nothing that he could do except wait for the opportunity to redeem himself.

"Suits me fine, but I think the masked duelist is gonna sit this one out." Inu-yasha said. "Kagome and I have our kids to worry about. Besides, I doubt that they'd let me in, it is supposed to be a tournament of Champions right. I've never won a tournament in my life."

"No, but we all have." Shippo said gesturing to himself and his friends.

"Rin, is this really truly what you wish?" Sesshomaru asked.

"Yes, Lord Sesshomaru, I want to help defeat Ra and bring peace back to the world," the girl replied.

"Then I will stand with you." Sesshormaru stated and then went over to where Inu-yasha stood. "It appears that for now at least, we are on the same side."

"Glad to have you with us bro." Inu-yasha said light heartedly. "I think that Dad would be proud to see us both fighting together for the same goals."

"As you say." Sesshomaru replied.

"So then, what now?" Mokuba asked.

"We'll it almost morning, time for you kids to get to bed." Felicia said. "Let us grownups handle the rest of the details." The kids all groaned and complained but they couldn't really argue. They were tired and they were ready for some rest. They all went into Kagome's house and for that night they camped out there. The next morning though they all went their separate ways to prepare themselves for the tournament. It was not long away and they would all have to be their best in order to make to the finals.

**_Transition_**

As Sesshomaru walked up to the door of his apartment, with Rin and Felicia in tow behind him, he caught a scent from inside. It was familiar, but he couldn't place immediately, until he looked at the knob, put his keys away, and simply the unlocked door. It opened and sitting his favorite chair was the annoying Mr. Pegasus.

"Well well, what cozy picture this makes: the happy family coming home from an outing." said the audacious millionaire.

"Is it not illegal to enter one's home without their permission?" Sesshomaru asked.

"Oh please, I own this entire complex… Well, now I do." Pegasus replied.

"Lord Sesshomaru, who's that weird man?" Rin asked, sidling close behind Sesshomaru, and clinging to his hand.

"Pegasus, I told you I would handle this," Felicia said. "Keep your overpriced nose out of this."

"I'll have you know that my nose was a bargain," Pegasus objected. "In any case, I've come for my answer, and possibly my bodyguard."

"I am no man's dog, to be beaconed on a whim," Sesshomaru said. "The answer is no. Besides, I have far more important matters to look to."

"Oh yes, Ra and his escapades." Pegasus said, getting up from the chair. "You would join his tournament."

"How did you-!" Felicia demanded.

"I know many things," Pegasus said as he stepped up to Felicia and picked a tiny spec from behind he ear.

"You bugged me!" she yelled.

"I'm told I bug many people," Pegasus said with a grin, "But I would have guessed even without it. One of my big rivals back home in the States has been boasting that he'll boost his shares by hosting a tournament. Not an original plot, per se, but still quite interesting."

"How long have you been planting bugs on me?" Felicia demanded.

"Ever since you stepped up from a glorified nanny to a would ninja. In my line of work you can't afford to trust too many people." Pegasus said.

"Putting bugs on people isn't nice," Rin interrupted. "They make you feel icky when they crawl all over you, and they hurt when they bite."

"How charming," Pegasus said, rubbing her head, scuffing up her hair.

Turned it was a very bad move, because in a split second, Sesshomaru had his arm pulled bak and locked hind him, as the dog demon growled, "Don't touch her!"

"Whoa, down boy," Felicia said, taking his shoulder. "He didn't mean anything by it. He may be an idiot but he wouldn't hurt a kid."

Pegasus's eyebrow went up and grinned widely as Sesshomaru let go of him. "A little bit attached aren't we, Felicia dear, after only a few days?"

"The kid grows on you, so what?" she asked.

"I think it's more than the kid," Pegsus mumbled, then he cleared his throat and asked, "Could it be you've fallen for the ruggedly handsome Sesshomaru?"

"WHAT!" she screamed, her face glowing like Rudolf's nose. "No way! He's a born killer, he's a cruel evil menace! He's-!"

"He's stolen your heart like a thief in the night!" the millionaire gushed. Then taking a handkerchief he dabbed his eyes, " Oh how positively romantic! One could write a best seller about it! In fact I think I will…"

"You can kill him now," Felicia hissed through her teeth to Sesshomaru.

"Spare my life just a moment longer," Pegasus suggested. "I'd like to give Rin two special cards, to help her in the tournament." Rin stepped out form behind Sesshomaru and took the cards Pegasus had pulled out of his coat pocket. "This is The Creator, and The Creator Incarnate," Pegasus told her. "He's more than a match for a Blue Eyes, and with the right cards he could even defeat the Egyptian Gods Cards."

"Is that all you have to offer?" Sesshomaru asked. "Two small pieces of cardboard? Ra is a powerful being. It will take more than two cards to defeat him."

"That's why I'm also giving you Felicia." Pegasus said.

"What!" Felicia cried, again, "I'm not your property! You can't just give me away!"

"But the great Sesshomaru can't be in two places at once," Pegasus pointed out. "He'll need help to protect our little Sun Goddess here. And who better than the most feared assassin in the corporate world?"

"But- but-?" Felicia tried to say.

"Please don't turn into a tug boat, my dear," Pegasus said, walking by them and out the door, "Now farewell, my dear, dear friends! Be sure to invite me to the wedding!" and he merged himself into the crowds on the street.

"Miss Felicia gets to stay!" Rin cheered when the strange visitor had left them at last. She immediately hugged the very stunned red head, and then let go and said, "We need to empty that room for you! Felicia gets to stay!"

"Hold on kid, I didn't say I'd stay here," Felicia said, taking hold of Rin's shoulders.

"If Rin is happy, you will stay," Sessomaru said.

"Huh?" asked Felicia, not liking how he was suddenly looming over her.

"Rin's happiness is all that matters to me. And for some unknown reason, you make her happy. Therefore, you will stay." he said.

"Well… since, uh, you put it that way…" Felicia said.

"Yay!" Rin cheered.

**End of Book Three**


End file.
